


Challenges are Made to be Broken

by JRscribbles



Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Abuse, Blood, Blood and Gore, Boys Are Dumb, Centaur, Centaurs, Child Abuse, English Riding, Equestrianism, F/F, F/M, Interspecies Relationship, M/M, Original Character(s), Past Abuse, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Western, Western Riding, Western Setting, Western Theme, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2019-03-03 15:06:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13343754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JRscribbles/pseuds/JRscribbles
Summary: When star rodeo centaur Reed Black begins underperforming and getting increasingly more hostile, his manager decides it's a good idea for him to take some personal time with a new trainer to see if things can be fixed. Horse trainer Leviticus Stirling is more than happy to take the job, having a hunch it's more than just the everyday grind getting stale for the famous centaur, but he's never worked with a client who can talk back before. It's a learning experience for them both and in time feelings develop, bonds are forged, and old hurt is smoothed into delicate scars.





	1. Who the Hell goes to Montana?

****

The break of the gate, the crushing roars of the crowd, the indescribable panic of weight upon his back, the tightening of the rope around his middle where the human torso and horse shoulders connected… It was all too familiar. His rodeo career had taken off a few years ago, but never did he get over the panic. The deep unsettling pit-like feeling of missing a step getting of the trailer.

 

Often he would lay awake in bed until the quiet hours of the early morning, trying to remember why. Why did the only thing he was good at cause so much inescapable distress?

 

Vaguely he registered someone was talking and pulled himself out of his daze to look and listen. “What?” He huffed, not having heard a word of what Mike, his manager had been saying.   
  
“I said, maybe it’s best you take some time off? Get away from this for a while? You’re not producing the results you used to and I know it’s not because you’re getting old. You’re only twenty-five.” Mike rattled off again, those exact blanking out moments were what worried him. Reed seemed to disappear into another world entirely sometimes, like he wasn’t even there just going through the motions. “Go stay with a guy I know, he works with horses primarily but if anyone can sort out what’s going on with you it’s him.”

 

“I’m not a horse,” Reed protested bitterly, looking up at Mike with a hardened gaze.

 

Mike quickly backtracked, “I know you’re not. I’m just saying, if you want to keep your top spot you need to get this funk or whatever you’re in figured out. This might help?”

  
For a few moments Reed was silent, seeming as though he was going to push Mike’s concerns off like usual, tell him he was fine. “Alright- but only because we’re losing money.”   
  
“A good enough reason as any.” Mike relented and patted Reed on the back making his hide twitch. “I’ll have the trailer set up for a ride, pack your things, you’re going to Montana.”   
  
Reed scrunched his nose. He wasn’t exactly popular in Montana, the people there had their own favorite rodeo centaur. Eliot Kaulder, a big, small town brewed draft cross with a sweet smile and viciousness in competition. The two were rivals according to those who followed centaur rodeo sports. Eliot dominated in quite a few categories, but only in bronc riding did Reed hold the prize. Except for this year. Things were slipping. There wasn’t a chance in hell Reed was going to let some goody two shoes, small town hick steal the only thing he had any claim to in life.   
  
Without further delay, Reed packed his belongings and was soon heading out to Montana.


	2. Let's Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi begins working on assessing Reed's abilities.

The initial dismount off the trailer was as awkward as ever, especially because he’d taken the backup trailer so as not to be noticed by anyone who might happen to recognize the siding decal and come chasing after for autographs or such. What Reed notice first about Montana was how the very air seemed more brisk, more clear. It was nothing like the southern city air that was heavy and dry. Even if it was late evening he couldn’t help shake off the feeling that it was early morning just from how land looked. It was a quiet little barn with a lot of land. A decently large house sat at the end of the actual driveway while the barn was a little off to the left and more huddled in the trees. Each tree seemed to have its own select shade of colors ranging from burnt auburn, red, brown, yellow, and maybe a speckle of green now and then. 

 

Reed was suddenly glad for the fact that he’d brought a sweatshirt and pulled it on before turning to see someone was coming out of the house to see who’d pulled in. He shifted his weight and waited, leaning on his back right hoof with his arms crossed. 

 

The young man that strode toward him with what honest to god seemed like a bounce in his step. “Hi! You must be, Reed. Mike called and said you’d be arriving sometime today. There’s a house behind the barn in the trees that’s accommodating for centaurs. I’m Levi, we’re going to be working together for a bit.” A sickly sweet smile followed Levi’s small speech and Reed had to force himself to take the outstretched hand.    
  
“Right…” Reed murmured and the second he had his hand back he folded it back into his crossed arms. Something about the man before him put Reed on edge, like the dark haired man knew more than he was willing to let on. Especially with how his eyes seemed to bore into Reed’s very soul. 

 

With a nervous flick of his tail, Reed glanced towards the small building behind the barn and nodded. “I’ll grab my stuff and head inside then.” He wasn’t anxious to turn his back to the stranger, even if Reed had been given a name to put to a face he still didn’t know this man or what he was capable of doing.    
  
Much to Reed’s pleasure and luck, Levi seemed to know exactly what to do and strode around to head down to the barn. “I’ll be in the barn doing feed if you need anything! Or don’t be shy to come knocking on the door of the house.”

 

Reed heaved a sigh from his lower set of lungs, expelling the air in his upper ones as a consequence, and set about grabbing his duffel bag of clothes and the small backpack of electronics. Going anywhere without his phone or music just wasn’t an option. 

 

It wasn’t until the next morning that Reed met up with Levi again, leaning against the fence of the small riding ring full of a dusty gravel. He had an uneasy knot in his stomach as he watched Levi set up some obstacles and even a small jump pole. “What exactly am I supposed to be doing here?”   
  
Levi was just finishing up and brushing the dusty arena gravel from his pants as he walked back to Reed. “Well, the idea is you run this fun little obstacle course a few times so I can get an idea of how you handle them. Watch your form, make sure there’s nothing physically that we can fix before trying to determine anything else. Do a few laps, make sure to get in each obstacle at least once, and I’m gonna watch from here.” The man proceeds to hop onto the fence to sit there on top of it, now nearly as tall as Reed with the boost of height it gave him. 

Taking a breath, Reed stepped into the arena and started out walking around to make sure he knew what each obstacle was before he gave a quick trot around the ring. Once he was comfortably warmed up, he began to trot and occasionally run through the set up obstacles. He was most hesitant about the jump, despite clearing it easily. 

With each run through Levi watched Reed’s powerful legs, counted his steps before and after the jump. He knew Reed wasn’t a jumper so he dismissed the fact that he was horribly off pace. Centaurs, being sentient beings, often over-thought the jumps before taking them much like human riders did. Except centaurs were in control of their own feet taking said jumps. Still, Reed seemed to have a special sort of command over his own hooves that Levi could see especially as he rounded the tight curve of the barrel. The more Levi watched him, the more he saw exemplary potential in several different areas. It was no doubt that Reed was an incredibly athletic guy, he competed in high level rodeo competitions. There was such raw strength under those lithe legs. As he lapped the course for the fifth time, Levi concluded there was astounding amounts of stamina as well. 

Reed had begun slowing down until he came to a dead stop when he tripped over the jump, planting himself hard in the dirt and consequently swirling up a dust cloud.    
  
The hard fall had Levi jumping off the fence to rush to the centaur’s aid. Only it seemed Reed was pushing himself right back up out of the dirt like a startled colt. “Are you alright?” Levi asked with moderate level of concern.    
  


“I’m fine!” Reed snapped harshly, and flicked his tail like a whip as he pushed past Levi. “I’m done. I’m not doing any more.” He snarls and takes off to the small lodging he’d been set up in. The sudden flip in mood from passive to aggressive left Levi’s head spinning and he quietly fixed the jump, noticing small trickles of blood left on the white poles as well as on the dirt.    
  
“Well that went well.” Levi sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck. Obviously Reed was in perfect physical condition. Now all he had to do was coax out whatever was bothering the centaur, but Levi knew he couldn’t do any such thing as long as the two of them were only acquaintances. It also gave him a reason to really try and become friends with his guest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me if there's only pretty random updates and such for this fic, it's a real pain in the ass to get myself in gear to actually write even if I really want to.


	3. Bed Buddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reed gets some TLC and there's a spark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's no schedule to updates and tbh there probably won't ever be one. Writing is hard and it's even worse when I put myself on a deadline so... yeah sorry about that but have some art. Please don't steal said art. Or character(s).

 

 

After grabbing a first aid kit from the barn, Levi trudged up towards the small house Reed was living in for his stay. The ground was not yet frozen, it was too early in the season for that. Instead the grass and dirt bowed beneath his weight, giving decent cushion to each step up towards the house. As the door grew closer so did Levi’s hesitations about offering assistance to the angry taur. Perhaps it would be better to leave him alone for a short time to get his temper better under control? Then again the splatter of blood in the arena had seened of a decent size and while taurs weren’t as fragile as their equine counterparts, a gash was a gash. It needed tending to.

 

Without another thought, Levi knocked three times upon the door and pushed it open. “Reed? There was blood in the arena… I came to see if you needed help cleaning up.” His baby blues landed upon the centaur who had lain down on the wooden floor, bleeding onto it from his front left canon.   
  
“Get out.” Was all Reed said in response and when Levi didn’t budge he pointed to the door. “Get. Out.”   
  
“That cut needs to be disinfected. Otherwise you’ll be stuck riding out a fever instead of training with me.” Levi replied and shuffled all the way inside to close the door behind himself, holding up the first aid kit. “I only want to help you, Reed.”

 

The last statement seemed to perplex Reed or strike a cord perhaps? After it had been said the centaur seemed to deflate slightly and contemplate his situation before leaning onto his side a little more to drag his left front leg forwards. “Just… if you’re going to punish me do it already. Don’t fuck around.”  
  
“Punish you?” Levi stepped carefully forwards to sit on the floor with Reed, avoiding the blood splatter undoubtedly from him roughly slamming his leg onto the floor when laying down. “I sincerely hope I haven’t given off the impression that I’m going to be harming you. Why would you say that? This is going to sting though I’m sorry.” He murmured before spraying the disinfectant on Reed’s gash once the blood had been wiped away.

 

Reed gave a quiet hiss at the sting of the disinfectant being sprayed on his open wound, taking note that it had finally stopped bleeding so much. “Every other trainer I’ve been set up with was perfectly happy to punish anything they didn’t like. Especially fuck ups like what happened in the ring.” He kept his eyes downcast and focused on Levi’s gentle hands pressing a gauze pad to his leg. “I didn’t expect anything different.”

 

“I take pride in being a cruelty free barn, thank you very much.” Levi explained as he rummaged around for a bandage wrap.

 

“It’s not cruelty if I deserve it.” Reed replies snippily and with a heartbreaking sincerity in his tone.

 

Levi blinked, half finished with wrapping up Reed’s leg and taken aback by his response. “What in the hell are you talking about? You don’t deserve to be given cruel punishment by idiots who probably can’t even do what they’re asking of you.” He grumbles and pins the wrap in place carefully with ace bandage clips. “There. Done. Try not to open the gash back up until it’s healed _entirely_. Understand?”

 

Giving a little nod, Reed’s expression seemed only mildly sour compared to the anger and frustration he’d been in earlier.

 

“Good.” Levi stood and extended a hand to help Reed to his hooves as well as unsafe as such a thing sounded. Reed took the hand but didn’t use it much, if at all, to stagger himself upright only to drop himself unceremoniously down on the bed instead. His four legs stuck out straight and awkward as he lay there on his side on the reinforced bed.

 

Levi nudged his legs out of the way so he could sit down with Reed. “So I take it you’re enjoying the bed so far? Is the rest of the cabin alright for you?”  


“I don’t often sleep in a real bed. It’s nice.” Reed explained to the human as he tried to tuck his legs out of the way for him, painfully aware that his underbelly was exposed to Levi if he dared to look down. “The cabin is nice… Anything is better than the cheap motels I used to stay in for events when I was just starting in rodeo.”

 

It was with a raised brow and a small smile that Levi decided to prod more into this recollection of the past. “When you were just starting out, huh? What was that like?” He shuffled to lean against the headboard and chat.

 

Reed gave a quiet huff of air through his nose at the question upon first hearing it. “It was shit. I had a different manager back then. Same guy that fostered me as a colt. We’d stay in this dingy motels, I’d do a few rounds of bronc riding, and if I didn’t do well enough then I’d get punished. Things got a lot better once Mike picked me up. Mike, as much as I love the guy, could do with chilling the hell out about this rut or whatever I’m stuck in. I’m fine.”

 

For a few moments Levi was quiet before he replied, “I’m glad Mike cares about you so much. Not many managers would care like that. And you definitely didn’t deserve to be punished just because of some fucked up standards. I’m sorry that happened to you, Reed.”

 

Once again, Reed seemed just plain confused before frowning again. “I don’t need your pity.”

 

“It’s not pity.” Levi replied quickly with a pointed look at Reed, staring into those green jades. “I am genuinely sorry your foster parents were unkind. It was wrong of them and shouldn’t have happened.” He said firmly and started to get up. “I’m going to go make lunch. If you feel up to walking up to the house then you’re welcome to eat with me.” Grabbing the first aid kit, Levi packed things away in since and left the cabin.

 

Reed lay there for a good long while thinking about what Levi had said. It was a spark in the darkness that clouded his mind. A spark that could easily be fanned into one hell of a flame.


End file.
